Tibet hit by two powerful aftershocks of last week’s earthquake

Tingri County in Tibet was rattled by two powerful aftershocks on Monday night, compounding fears in a region still reeling from last week’s devastating earthquake.

According to the China Earthquake Networks Center, a magnitude 4.9 quake struck at 8:57 p.m. local time (1257 GMT), followed a minute later by a 5.0 magnitude tremor.

The epicenter of the second aftershock was just 9 kilometers from the site of last week’s magnitude 6.8 earthquake.

Chinese state media reported no immediate casualties following the aftershocks, which occurred at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers.

However, the situation remains tense for the more than 47,000 residents of Tingri who were relocated to temporary shelters in freezing winter conditions after the January 7 earthquake.

A drone view shows makeshift tents for quake-affected residents following the earthquake that struck Dingri county, in Shigatse, Tibet autonomous region, China January 8, 2025.Reuters

The initial quake, the fifth-strongest in China since the 2008 Sichuan disaster, killed at least 126 people and injured 338. The region’s high altitude and sub-zero nighttime temperatures pose additional challenges for survivors.

Tibet lies in a seismically active zone where the Indian tectonic plate collides with the Eurasian plate. Tingri, situated near this tectonic boundary, is particularly vulnerable to earthquakes.

Due to these geological dynamics, southwestern China, along with neighboring Nepal and northern India, frequently experiences seismic activity.